After All That, It's Come to This
by ZuEra
Summary: Firelord Zuko didn't look up. With all of his strength he kept his gaze settled. With all of his strength he resisted, keeping the world in it's painful but necessary balance. For he knew, and she knew, that they had lost this chance long ago. Post-war. Zutara. One-shot.


**This is just a short one-shot that I wrote to the picture "We have HISTORY to build upon" by AylaOfZeladonii on DeviantArt. It's just an absolutely beautiful picture, and it sent emotion pouring through me. It was just one of those pictures. I was listening to the song After All That, It's Come to This by Amos the Transparent while writing this, and although this isn't a song fic at all, it really set the mood. I truly hope that you'll all enjoy this.**

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_After All That, It's Come to This_

"I never realized how beautiful the Fire Nation was," Katara confessed, leaning on the balcony rail, looking beyond the extravagant palace grounds at the natural landscape. "We spent so much time here all those years ago-I guess I just didn't want to see the beauty."

The Firelord watched her curiously, unbeknown to Katara as she marveled at the fertile nation.

"And why is that?" he asked, prompting her to meet his gaze.

"You know why, Zuko." They had talked about it all too many times in the past-Katara's judgement of the Fire Nation. The conversations had started out as fights, with Katara yelling and snapping. Of course Zuko had just taken it, not uttering a single word except to ask why she hated him so. Gradually their talks became less of her anger and more of her guilt; once she'd forgiven Zuko, she was stricken by regret of her harsh words. When that hurdle had been successfully jumped, the pair just talked-talked about anything and everything. Zuko was her closest friend. Katara suddenly felt very aware that they were alone here, with Aang and the others out at the nearest market.

He had almost kissed her once-she could remember it clearly-but at the last second they had both turned away, surrendering to their fears. Just like that, the war was over, and the opportunity gone, left behind, but never forgotten.

"Can I show you the royal gardens?" he offered, but she seemed distant. He knew very well the place to which her mind had wandered, but he didn't dare to speak of it; it wasn't his place to speak of such things anymore. Here she stood, her body wrapped in the soft, gentle fabric of the Air Nomad who called her his own; here he stood, clad in the royal robes and bearing a crown-what was there for them? Only history.

He watched her intently, knowing that she was gazing back from the corner of her eye. Before he could grab a hold of reality, he was taken back to the fateful moment on Ember Island-a moment that had been gone for over five years now. He had the urge to take her into his arms and kiss her-to do everything that he hadn't done that day. He knew that this wish was late, though, and would do him no good now, and to that, the young Firelord's face fell.

Both pairs of eyes flickered up at the sound of Avatar Aang's laughter, and both hearts dropped low as their friends could be seen in the distance, nearing the palace. In a feeble attempt to cure the aching in his heart, Zuko reached his hand out, low and meek, towards Katara. She glanced down, taking notice, and met his golden eyes briefly as her fingers brushed against his. Both the waterbender and the Firelord directed their vision towards their nearing friends, knowing that this moment, too, would soon end. Zuko felt a small squeeze as Katara wrapped her smallest finger around his, and a twist in his heart quickly followed.

Firelord Zuko didn't look up. With all of his strength he kept his gaze settled. With all of his strength he resisted, keeping the world in it's painful but necessary balance. For he knew, and she knew, that they had lost this chance long ago, and only now-five years too late-did they feel this aching regret.

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**Phew, well that's the end. The sad, tragic, end - in every literal sense to both the story and our lovers :/ **

**I hope that you'll shoot me a review or a PM to let me know what you think of this one. I have to admit that I'm quite fond of it at the moment.**

**Thank you (:**

**xoxo ZuEra**


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